Heating apparatus



Dec. 22, 1925 w. L, BLISS HE TING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 31, 1918s Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR William L Bliss WI TNESS: W 1. 5m

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1925- 1,556,814

w, L, BLIS$ HEATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 31, 1918 3Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS: INVENTOR.

fa. M'Zlzam L. 51:85

v I W V B Y F7? NAM, MM I G ATTORNEY.

W, L, BLISS HEATING APPARATUS Dec. 22, 1925.

origiflal Filed Jan. 31, 1918 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. BLISS, or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW onnassier-toh ro VAPOR can HEAT-me COMPANY, Inc, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HEATING em nate:

Application filed January 31, 1918, Serial 110;2145603? ItcnewedMay 2,1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAIrL. Buss, a citizen of the United States,residing: at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Heating'Apparatus, ofwhich the followingis a specification. I

The present invention relates to steam heating apparatus.

More particularly the present invention relates to heating apparatusapplicable to carheating.

It iscommon to heat'railway cars from a steam'train line-'which issupplied with steam from the locomotive when a locomotive isattach'ed.to the train. At times when nolocomotive is at-tached'to the train saidtrain line is ordinarily attached to astationary. steam supplysystem andreceives steam therefrom; Inasmuch as thecars are often tightly closedwhen standing connected to the stationary steam system, the temperaturein the cars may rise to an undesirable de gree. Furthermore, unless-asystem of inspection is maintained, there isoften a much greater supplyof steam than 1s necessary,

resultingin a waste.

The system of heating contemplated by,

ing or likely tocontain water and to prevent injury to the paint orother damage which would be likely tO occur if the car-were allowed tostand WlthOHt' heat in a low temperature. Under these circumstances,however, it is not necessary that the car be kept at a temperature ashigh as that required during occupancy. It is not feasible to leave itto thetrainmen to adjust theheating. system to give'a lower temperatureduring the periodswvhen the car is out of service because there-adjustment-islikely to be de glected or possibly the steam shut downto too greatan'extent. When it is considered that the ordinary passengercaron the average is'stand-ing unoccupied more than it is in service, itwill be seen that the waste of steam incidentto maintaining the cars atthe n0rmal occupancy temperature during periods of non-Occupancy, isvery considerable. My invention seeks to minimize this'waste byproviding the heating system with controlling means which functionautomatically to decreasethe amount of heating medium clelivered tothecar from a supply source when the car stands disconnected from thelocomotive and tore-establish the normal supply when the car is againconnected with the locomotive so 'asto maintain the car temperature at alower point when unoccupied than'is maintained during occupancy.

()ne of the Objects of the present invention is to provide, incombination with the car heatingand'air-line systems, a steam valvewhich will permit'the passage of the required amountof steam to keep therailroad cars at the proper temperature when said cars are connected tothelocomotive, but which will automatically throttle the steam when'saidcars are disconnected from the locomotive and taken out of service,permitting, however, a reduced amount of steam to pass from thestationary supply system into the heating devices of the car. A furtherobject is to provide a valve of the kind referred to which may be lockedin open position, if desired, when thelocomotive is disconnected,butwhich may be manually operatedat any time to return said valve to thecondition to permit only the reduced amount of steam' to pass, saidvalve being adapted, in-any event, to be immediately responsive to thecondition of connection to ordiscon nection from the locomotive.

The utilization of the heatingsystem contemplates in itssoecificembodiment either an arrangement whereby a'small amount of 2 c heatingmedium will pass into the radiators even when'the valve is moved to itsextreme closing position, due to absence of pressure quantity of heatingmedium from reaching,

the radiators and the valve is capable also of being set to an'openposition, the controlling means can be operated to supply the carradiators with a minimum amount of heating medium when the car isstanding in the railroadyard and tea larger flow of heating mediumwhenthe car is on a siding or during. the period it stands at a terminal,before the locomotive is connected with the train, at which time it isdesirable to bring the car temperature as rapidlyas possible up tothenormal temperature of occupancy.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the kind referred to whichis sturdy in construction, cheap to manufacture, and which willnecessitate a minimum of inspectionservicer Further objects 'will beapparent as the description proceeds 1 Figurel is a view partlyin'section of one embodimentof the present invention.

.Figure 2 is a similar view of a modification. V Fig. 3isa diagrammaticplan view illustr a-tingthe application of the inventionto a car heatingsystem. o. V

Referringfirst toLFig. 1, the, numeral/1 indicates the'ba se portion ofavalve according' to theypresent invention .andmay be '1 made of castiron or similar material. 'The baselportion '1 is provided with a pairof operated through a-packing-gland which is sockets.--2,' -2,preferably internally screwthreaded,-; which are adapted .to'be'connected to theftrain line and the heating devices in the carp; Thebaseportion 1 provides'between the sockets 2,. 2, a passageway forthesteam,which, however, may be obstructedby thev valve 3 which isadapted to be operated bythe valve stem 4. A; screw-plug 5 may beprovided inthe bottom portion of the base member 1' whereby access maybe had to the" valve 3 for assembly, inspec-' tion and repair; The valvestem 4: may be indicated as a whole bythe numeral "6.

Mounted .uponthe base "portion'l is a pair of upright'membersd, 7,which-serve as a support 'for the superstructure of the valve. Mountedupon said upright members 7 is a plate 8 which supports a gasket 9.Mounted upon the gasket '9 is a cylindrical member 10; The plate 8,gasket 9 and cylindrical member 10 may be securely bolted to the uprightmembers 7 by means of the bolts 11, 11. j

Sliding withinthe cylindrical member 10 is a piston 12 which shouldpreferably be of cup-shaped formation whereby to provide a dependingpetticoat portion 13." Said piston 12 is mounted upon valve'stem 4. Aspring 14 is provided which urges the piston 12 to its uppermostposition whereby to tendzto close the valve. 3. The; upper portion ofthe cylinder has communication with the passageway 15 which-maycommunicate with the signal line from the locomotive or with any othersource of fluid supply which is operative when the locomotive isconnected to the car uponwhich the present invention is used. A stopscrew 16 is provided in the upper part ofthe cylinder 10 which screw maybe adjusted to limit the upward movement of the valve stem 4 vto thedesired point. When thepiston 12 is in its lowermost position thepetticoat portion 13 should make a tight seal with the gasket 9 wherebyto prevent the escape of fluid. With this construction a. close fitbetween the piston 12 and cylindrical member 10 is unnecessary, inasmuchas when the supply of fluid through the passageway 15 has caused thepiston 12 to moveto its lowermost position, any wastage of fluid willbeprevented by the seal between the petticoat portion 13 and the gasket9." An aperture 17 may be provided as shown, adjacent to the valve 3.

A'mode of operation of the above described embodiment of the presentinvention is substantially as follows:'

When the device is connected inservice on a car and said car isconnected to the locomotive, the passageway 15 "will com: municate tothe signal line fromthe-locos motive; Pressure of therair from saidsignal line will urgethe piston 12 against the tension of spring 14 toaposition wherein" the petticoat portion 13 will firmly engagethe gasket9. In this position of the petti- 3 open, whereby steam may pass throughcoat 13,-the valve stem 4 will hold the valve 1 the base portion 1between sockets 2, 2, to

- piston 12 upwardly. The stop screw 16 may be r adjusted to"'hold thepiston 12 at any desired POSlflOD. In service said stop screw 2 16 maybe so adjusted as to hold'the valve 3 1 slightly openysothat a smallamount of steam may pass through the base portion 1 to maintain the lowdegree of temperature required in the car'when but of; service.

The: small aperture 17 may be provided or omitted, as desired. It theaperture 17 is provided, a small amount ofsteam Wlll be allowed to passthrough the base portion 1 pressure reservoirs, even though thelocomotive be disconnected. The invention is not limited, however, touse in connection with the signal line. Any means responsive to theconnection of the locomotive may be utilized.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, 'means areprovided whereby an operatoranay lock the valve 3 in open position whenpressure is relieved through passageway 15. The valve stem l has securedthereto a member 18 with which a pair of levers 19and 20 are adapted tocooperate. Said member 18 may be secured to the valve stem 4 by means ofa pin 21. The upper part of the member 18 is provided with a roundedhead22 and the lower part of said member l8 is provided with an upturnedportion providing a lip 23. The particular embodiment of the member 18ch'osenfor illustration will be found advantageous for the reason thatit can be readily turned out in a screw machine, and for the reasonthat, though the'stem t will rotate in use, such rotating will notaffect the operation of thelip 23. The lever 19 may be pivotedon one ofthe members 7 and may be yieldably held in to its uppermost position bymeans of a spring 24. The lever 20 is illustrated as a bell crank leverand should be provided with a hook-shaped end portion 25 to engage withthe lip 23 of the member 18. A spring 26 may be provided'for urging thelever 20 in a counter-clockwise direction to thereby tend to move thehook 25 away from the member 18. Said lever 20 may be mounted on one ofthe members 7. A compression spring 27 is mounted between levers'19 and20. The spring 27 should be stiffer than the spring 26 but should be sodesigned that when the leversare in the positions indicated, that is,when the hook 25 is engaged with the lip 23, the spring 27 will be undersubstantially no compression. Said spring 27 should be so designed,however, thatwhen lever 19 is depressed sufficiently to free the lip 23from the'hook 25, said spring 27 will be under suflicient compression toovercome the tension of the spring 26.

In Fig. 2, the upper part of the set screw 16 is illustrated as beinghoused within a cap 28. Said cap 28 will prevent the accidental movementof said set screw 16, and inasmuch as it may be screwed down by means ofa pipe thread, it will prevent the escape of fluid from the passageway15 around said set screw.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 2 willoperate in re sponse to pressure upon the piston 12 in the mannerdiscussed in connection with Figure 1, whereby when the locomotive isconnected to the car upon which the present invention is being used, thepiston 12 will be urged to its lowermost position, whereby the petticoatportion 13 will form a tight seal with the gasket 9, holding the valve 3in open position. lVhen the locomotive is disconnected from the ear, thepiston 12 will be urged upwardly by the spring 14, i'noving the valve 3to closing position. The closed position of the valve may be varied asde sired by adjusting the set screw 16.

In case it should be desired to hold the valve 3 open at a time when thelocomotive is disconnected, such a condition maybe obtained by operationof the lever 19. At the time when the locomotivchas been disconnected,the spring lel and the spring will cooperate to urge the lever 19 to itsuppermost position. If theoperator desires to move the valve 3 to openposition, he will depress the lever 19, thereby moving the lip 23downwardly. lVhen the lip 23 has been moved downwardly to a point whichwill permit the engagement of the hook 25 therewith, the spring 27 willhave been placed in a condition of compression, as described above. Atthis time, the spring 27 will overcome the pull of the spring 26 andwill move the lever 20 in a clockwise direction, whereby, when pressureof the lever 19 is released, the hook 25 will engage with lip 23 to holdthe valve 3 in the position illustrated. Steam may now pass from astationary source of supply to the heating devices on the car. If theoperator should desire to move the valve to closing position, he willdepress the lever 19 and raise the lever 20. The depression of the lever19 will free the lip 23 from the hook 25 and the raising of the lever 20will throw said hook and lip out of engagement, whereby, when pressureis relieved from the lever, 19, the member 18 will be drawn upwardly bythe spring 11.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figure 2 that when the valve 3 islocked in its open position, the piston 12 is at an intermediate pointin its travel. whereby further depression of the piston 12 will move thelip to. a position below the hook 25.

. most limit of its travel. spring 27 will not be in a state of compresvIf the locomotive shouldbe connected to the car and the passagewayshouldbe connected tothe signal line of the locomotive,

the piston 12 would be moved to the lower- At this time the sionand thespring 26 is free to mo-vethe lever 20111 a counter-clockwise directlon,

whereby to release engagement between the lipl23 and hook 25. fore be nolonger locked in position butwilloperate in'response to pressure abovethe piston 12., p The. member 4 need.- not be connected dire'etlywiththevalve 3 as here shown, but

intermediate connections, either mechanical, electrical or fluid maybeemployed to oper. ate a steam valve located at a point remote from theoperating member.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, 1 and J representthe two endportions of a car (which is centrally cut away), and K i-s'the endport-ion of an adjacent car of the train, the cars being operable alonga trackway P.: The radiators are indicated at B,

and C isthe main steam line, and D isthe signal air line. When the carsare coupled in a train, the airlines of adjacent cars are connected bycoupling pipes M, controlled by valves L, and the steam line N of car Kf is similarly connected with steam line C of car J by couplings S andO. The control valve of a stationary steam supply in the yard isindicated atR,-and Q is a coupling forconnecting this yard supply with acoupling'Sof the steam line C on the car.

The operation of the heating system is as, follows: Whenflthe locomotiveis connected up with the train, the signal line receives air pressure,-which, exerted againstfpiston 12 causes'valve 3 of the throttle device Eto be opened and full steam pressure applied to the radiator throughpipes F and Ff. The

radiator may have in addition its own regulatingmea11s,;eithe1',automatic or manual (for, lllustration, asmanually operated valve G isshown) whereby only so much of the minal steam supply pipe R, theradiator will i receive only such an amount of steam as can pass valve3. i

. i The described embodiments of the present invention have been chosenmerely for the purpose of illustratione Many modifications will occur tothose skilled in the art; It is I v intendedin this patent to cover allsuch modifications that fall within the scope of The valve 3 will thereheating system,- and the compressed air sys ,tem of a ra1lway car, avalve for controlling 1 the present invention pended claims.

Iclaim: J 1. 1.;Li combination with a railway car, a

Qheatingl device located in the car, a supply pipe leading thereto andadapted to be connected to a source of supply ofheatingimeas defined bythe ap 'dium, a pipe adapted to be connectedwith" a source'of supply ofpressure fluid, and a governing device for controlling the supply ofmedium from the source of supply to the heating device having a port andcomprising automatiomeans whereby said port is restricted without beingclosed .on the disappearance of pressure fluid in said last'named pipeand is opened toa greater extent when said pipe is put under pressure.

2. In combination with a railway car, a

pipeleadingthereto and adapted to be con-" nected with a source ofsupplylof heating medium, a pipe adapted to be connected with a sourceof supply of pressure fluid, a valve for controlling the flow of heatingmedium to the heating device, means whereby, in the absence of pressurein said last named pipe,

said valve may be set to an intermediateopen position, and automaticallyoperating means whereby when said last named pipe is put under pressure,the valve is moved to its: fully opened position. i f

3. In combination. with a railway the steam train pipe, and the airsignal line 1 heating device located in. the car, a'supply f car and ofthe car, a heating device'in the car, a

valve to control the flow of steam from the train pipe to the heatingdevice, andgoverning-means for the valverrwhereby, in.the

absence of pressure'lin the air: signal line,-.

said valve willassume lac-closed position or may be set to anintermediate open position,-

and apressure actuated device'subject -to pressure in said air signalline formoving said valve to its fully opened position,

4. In combination with-a radiator of the.

the introduction ofheating medium into said radiator, the movements ofwhich are ef fected through the presence or absence of' pressure in aportion of said compressed air- 1 system, and means operable in theabsencei. of pressure in said portion of the com pressed air system foroperating said valve whichm-eansis made ineffective when pres: sure 1sreturned to said portion of the C0111; pressed a1r system- 5. Incombination with a railway car, 1 a

a heating device located in the car, a supply pipe leading thereto andadapted to; be con-V nected with a source of supplyof heating medium, apipe adapted to be connected with a source of supply of pressurelfluitl,

a valve forcontrolling' the flow ofiheatingmedium to the heating device,means .fwhere by, in the absence of pressure infsaid last 1 9 named pipesaid valvemay be set to an the introduction of pressure into.- saidpipe.

6. In combination with axrailway car, a heatmg device located in thecar, a supply pipe leading thereto and adapted to be connected with asource of supply of heating medium, a pipe adapted to be connected witha source of supply of pressure fluid, a valve for cont-rolling the flowof heating medium to the heating device, means whereby, in the absenceof pressure in said last named pipe, said valve may be set to anintermediate open position or to a closed position, and automaticallyoperating means whereby, when said last named pipe is put underpressure, said valve is moved to its fully open position.

7. In combination with a railway car, a heating device located in thecar, a supply pipe leading thereto and adapted to be connected with asource of supply of heating medium, a pipe adapted to be connected witha source of supply of pressure fluid, a valve for controlling the flowof heating medium to the heating device, means whereby, in the absenceof pressure in said last named pipe, said valve may be set to anintermediate open position or to a closed position, and automaticallyoperating means whereby, when said last named pipe is put underpressure, said valve is moved to its fully open position and isthereafter moved in accordance with the disappearance of pressure fromand the introduction of pressure into said last named pipe.

8. In combination with the steam train pipe and compressed air system ofa railway car, a steam heating device in the car, a valve to control theflow of steam from the train pipe to the heating device, means whereby,in the absence of pressure in a part of the compressed air system, saidvalve may be set to a position which restricts the flow of steam to saidheating device, and automatically operating means made effective whenpressure exists in said part of the compressed air system for movingsaid valve in the opening direction.

9. In combination with the steam train pipe and air signal line of arailway car, a heating device in the car, a valve to control the flow ofsteam from the train pipe to the heating device, and governing means forthe valve whereby, in the absence of pressure in the air signal line,said valve will assume a closed position or may be set to anintermediate open posit-ion, and a pressure actuated device subject tosignal line air pressure to govern the movements of said valve inaccordance with the disappearance of pressure from the air signal lineand the introduction of pressure thereinto.

10. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, an air trainpipe, a steam train pipe, a valve to control the flow of steam from thesteam train pipe tothe radiator, and a device actuated when said airtrain pipe is put under pressure iabove atmospheric pressure to :movethe valve to a fully open position, and, when the pressure in the airtrain pipe is reduced to atmospheric pressure, to move the valve 'to aposition restricting the How of steam to the radiator.

11. In combination with a radiator, a supply pipe for heating medium andthe compressed air system of a railway car; a valve for controlling theflow of heating medium from said supply pipe to said radiator, themovements of which are effected through the presence or absence ofpressure in a portion of said compressed air system; and means operablemanually in the absence of pressure in said portion of the compressedair system for setting said valve, which means is made ineflective whenpressure is returned to said portion of the compressed air system.

12. In combination with a radiator, a supply pipe for heating medium andthe compressed air system of a railway car; a valve controlling the flowof heating medium from said supply pipe to said radiator, which isopened and closed in response to appearance and disappearance ofpressure in a portion of said compressed air system; and means operablein the absence oi said pressure for moving said valve to an openposition which means is made ineffective on reappearance of saidpressure.

13. In combination with a radiator. a supply pipe for heating medium,and the compressed air system of a railway car; a valve controlling theflow of heating medium from said supply pipe to said radiator, which isopened and closed in response to appearance and disappearance ofpressure in a portion of said compressed air system; and means operablemanually in the absence of said pressure for moving said valve to anintermediate open position. which means is made ineffective onreappearance of said pressure. l

14. In combination with a heating device, a source of supply of heatingmedium, a valve to control the supply of heating medium from said sourceof supply to the heating device and a conduit adapted under determinedconditions to contain a pressure fluid; means governed by pressure inthe conduit for moving said valve in response to changes of pressure insaid conduit; and means operable only during the absence of pressure inthe conduit forlmoyingrrsaid valve, which means isimade ineffective'When' pressure reappears 1n 831d conduit.

15.1 1 combination with a heating device, a sourceof supply of heatingmedium, a

valve to vcontrol the supply of heating me- .dium from said source ofsupply to the heating device and a conduit.adaptedunderde- .7terminedconditions to contain apressure fluid; means governed by thepresence and absence 0f pressure in the conduit,loriicausing the valveto be opened and closed,' re- WILLIAM L. Buss;

